Times names new GM

Friday

Oct 25, 2013 at 12:29 PM

After 29 years in the Leavenworth area media business Sandy Hattock has seen a lot of changes over the years. Now Hattock is part of that change herself, as she takes over as the new general manager of the Leavenworth Times.

Times staff report

After 29 years in the Leavenworth area media business Sandy Hattock has seen a lot of changes over the years.

Now Hattock is part of that change herself, as she takes over as the new general manager of the Leavenworth Times. Hattock has been serving as advertising sales manager of the Times since 2008.

Hattock replaces Dale Brendel, who served as general manager and executive editor for the last three and half years. Brendel has accepted a job as general manager of the Stillwater News Press in Stillwater, Okla.

As general manager, Hattock will be in charge of the daily operations of the Times, a five-day community newspaper, along with weekly Lansing Times, the Chronicle Shopper and www.leavenworthtimes.com. The Times also publishes the Fort Leavenworth Lamp.“We are sorry Dale is leaving but we wish him well,” said Group Publisher Al Bonner of Gatehouse Media, the parent company of the Times. “He has worked many long hours over the years supporting the Leavenworth Times to regain its respected place in the community. But with change comes new opportunity and I am pleased Sandy has agreed to take on the role of general manager. Sandy will do a fantastic job.”

Hattock started with the now defunct Lansing Publishers, Inc., in September of 1984 as a sales executive and joined the Times in 2000, working primarily on the Fort Leavenworth Lamp and Chronicle Shopper.

Over the past few years she has watched as the Times has grown from primarily just a print product to into a multi-platform media company with the area's most visited website along with new digital and social media services.”

“As the world changes, so do newspapers,” Hattock said. “I take pride in being part of the oldest newspaper in Kansas. We still provide the community with local news that you can't get anywhere else. But now we can also offer our community businesses many more ways to reach the consumer. We want to continue the positive direction we have taken in the last three years. I am excited about the future.”

Brendel joined the Times in February 2010 and directed a redesign of the print products along with a renewed emphasis on local news, including introducing new feature formats focusing on some of the more positive aspects of the community, such as the Q5s, YourTakes, Education and Business Spotlights, Things to Do, Reader News and Smile of the Day.

“It's tough to leave Leavenworth because this is a great community with a lot of good things happening here,” Brendel said. “Some people wonder about the future of newspapers but with the combined readership of the website, mobile site, Facebook site and print products, we are reaching more readers than we have in the paper's history.

Brendel said despite some reported financial troubles of the Times parent company, Gatehouse Media, the future is bright in Leavenworth.

“The Times has enjoyed increased profits and double-digit growth each of the last three years and has a sustainable model for the future,” he said. “Locally-focused papers like the Times still play vital roles in the community, not only to inform readers about what's happening in town but to serve as an outlet for other businesses to reach consumers.”

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